Discounts through mid-December on Antarctic sailings

Got $8,000 burning a hole in your pocket? Why not spend it on an Antarctic cruise?

Intrav

—innovative operator of river cruises, safaris, and small-ship sailings—is offering discounts on its Antarctica and Falkland Islands itinerary, as well as its Chilean fjords and Cape Horn expedition. If you book by December 15, you can save $1,000 on business-class airfare and get an additional $1,000 off the Chilean fjords itinerary.

Intrav's itineraries combine time on land and at sea. The

February 12 itinerary

is a 17-night trip, featuring 11 nights at sea. The

Clipper Adventurer

sets sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, and visits the Falkland Islands and Antarctica. The 122-guest ship is outfitted with luxurious amenities such as all-oceanview cabins and fine dining, but also possesses an ice-hardened hull and a fleet of Zodiac landing craft for adventures in Antarctica. Prices for this cruise start at $8,010 per person and include pre- and post-cruise hotel stays in Santiago and Buenos Aires, charter airfare to and from Ushuaia, guides, and shore excursions.

The

16-night Chilean fjords and Cape Horn itinerary

, departing on February 22, is somewhat cheaper at $5,895 per person after the $1,000 discount. This trip includes a 10-night cruise through the Chilean fjords and the Patagonian islands. The cruise fare covers accommodations in Buenos Aires and Santiago, airfare to Ushuaia and Santiago, guides, and shore excursions.

The fares may seem high, but they're average for a luxury cruise on a long itinerary. It's not cheap to get to Antarctica no matter how you do it, so you might as well splurge if you want this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Besides, we've all seen

Titanic

. You can't tell me you'd actually want to be on a no-frills, budget ship navigating iceberg-infested waters when you could be on a state-of-the-art

A-1 Ice Class vessel

.